A whale carcass stuck on a beach south of Sydney, has attracted a number of sharks to the inlet, as well as visitors hoping for a closer look.
Whale welfare group ORRCA confirmed the whale was male but has not yet confirmed the species, according to the report.
The carcass washed up onto the beach on Sept. 24.
Sharks have been feeding off the dead whale for some time, as video taken on Sept. 20 by Benjamin Reid shows.
In the footage, great white sharks can be seen violently splashing near the carcass as they feed.
Shaun Elwood of the National Parks and Wildlife Service speculated on the whale’s cause of death.
“It could be sick, it could not have been in well health, it could have been an old whale, or it could have been hit by a boat. It’s really an unknown,” said Elwood, in the Nine News report.
Two local brothers Jai and Kurt Kiggins also captured video as Jai swam in shark-infested waters.
“Probably one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen. The great white came straight up, like face to face, and then turned and kicked away,” said Kiggins.
“Look, it’s stupid,” said Elwood. “New South Wales Police, New South Wales Maritime, and National Parks and Wildlife Service, we really discourage the public from doing anything like that.”
Jai Kiggins dismissed suggestions his actions were foolhardy.
“If you’ve got the [expletive] to do it,” Kiggins said, “I don’t see why not.”
Kurt Kiggins, the one filming the incident, said that when their mother learned of their intentions, she expressed opposition.
“My mom wasn’t very happy about it, because when I left I told her I was going to do it, so she was stressing out all day,” said Kurt Kiggins.
Officials from the NSW Environment Office were considering whether to tow the whale back out to sea, Nine News reported.
A representative said the whale’s size, as well as the beach’s location, meant disposal options were limited.
